Sponsorship Panel (External Approvals)

Some research studies are unable to be reviewed by the University Research Ethics Panel and must be submitted to an external Research Ethics Committee (REC) for review.

This most commonly applies to those wishing to conduct research with NHS staff, data, patients or premises.

Other established Committees and procedures include

• Social Care Research Ethics Committee - studies involving participants in a social care setting, including those lacking mental capacity

• National Offender Management Service (NOMS) - studies involving participants in the prison, probation or justice service
  

• Ministry of Justice - studies involving participants undertaken, funded or sponsored by the MoD

In addition to obtaining REC approval, studies are required to undergo governance and legal compliance checks by the Health Research Authority and/or Health and Care Research Wales before the study is able to proceed. 

All studies will also require sponsorship before they are submitted for review. Where AU is to act as the Sponsoring Organisation, this can only be authorised by the Research Ethics Unit once all internal governance checks have been completed.

All queries and new studies should be directed to the Research Ethics Unit at an early stage. Whilst the approval procedures are largely integrated, each works to their own time frame, therefore early planning is important to the success of the application.